3. Serve your country

In December 2012, 23-year-old Jobson Cenor, of North Miami, was sentenced to 57 months in the federal pen after admitting that while stationed as a Marine in Afghanistan, he emailed the names, birth dates and Social Security numbers of more than 100 of his fellow Leathernecks to a co-conspirator in Florida who submitted fraudulent 2011 refund claims. Cenor was to get 50% of the refund take. Military personnel serving in combat zones don't have to file their tax returns until 180 days after leaving the zone, which makes them tempting targets for identity thieves who can file fraudulent returns with little concern that the real taxpayer will file first, causing their bogus returns to be rejected.